U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,392 which was issued on Apr. 24, 2001 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,981 which was issued on Feb. 15, 2000 both to Khankari et al., describe a hard tablet that is said to dissolve rapidly in the mouth of the patient with a minimum of grit. The tablet is created from an active ingredient mixed into a matrix of a nondirect compression filler and a relatively high lubricant level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,014 which was issued on Nov. 19, 1996 to Mizumoto et al., describes intrabuccally dissolving compressed moldings including a saccharide having low moldability having been granulated with a saccharide having high moldability. The moldings are said to show quick disintegration and dissolution in the buccal cavity and have an adequate hardness.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,974 which was issued on Feb. 24, 1998 to Mikano et al., describes a method of producing a fast dissolving tablet including compression-molding a composition having an active ingredient, a carbohydrate and a barely sufficient amount of water to moisten the surface of particles of the carbohydrate into a tablet form and a fast dissolving tablet obtainable by the method. The active ingredient may, for example, be a vitamin, a gastrointestinal function conditioning agent or an anti-pyretic-analgesic-anti-inflammatory agent. The carbohydrate includes, but is not limited to sugar, starch, lactose, honey, sugar alcohols and tetroses. The amount of water to be added is about 0.3% to 10% by weight. The fast dissolving tablet is said to have a porous structure with excellent disintegratability and solubility as well as adequate strength.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,471, which was issued on Sep. 28, 1999 to Schwarz, et al., describes a spray-dried composition including two or more polyols, such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol, where mannitol is present in a quantity less than 10 percent by weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,511, which was issued on Dec. 26, 2000 to Schwarz, et al., describes a process for preparing a spray-dried composition including a polyol. The process includes preparing an aqueous solution of more than 80% of one or more non-hygroscopic polyols and spraying the resulting mixture into an air stream. The resulting composition of the spray-drying process contains a filamentous structure.
International Publication No. WO00/57857 (PCT/KR00/00242), published Oct. 5, 2000, to Yuhan Corporation discloses a rapidly disintegrable tablet which includes an active ingredient, spray-dried mannitol, crospovidone, and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. Other additives, such as a lubricant and a sweetening agent may also be included in the tablet composition.
All patents referenced in this application are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.